Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have received notice from Senator Martin Conway that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to state when he plans to commence work on opening the railway station at Crusheen, County Clare.

I have also received notice from Senator Rónán Mullen of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to investigate the way in which the poultry sector interacts with its suppliers and specifically to examine why a farmer (details supplied) is no longer able to find a market for his produce, allegedly arising out of circumstances where he declined to participate in certain tax avoidance arrangements that are now subject to review by the Department of Finance, and to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that no individual is subject to unfair treatment and that any such treatment is prevented or punished.

I have also received notice from Senator Tim Lombard of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to make a statement on the future of live calf exports for 2017 in light of the decision by Cork Marts to exit the calf export industry.

I have also received notice from Senator Rose Conway-Walsh of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Social Protection to instigate an investigation into the use of private contractors to deliver services already provided by local employment services, the use of JobPath contractors and the possible anti-competition implications resulting from such contracts.

I have also received notice from Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide clarity on the need for the taxpayer-funded Irish Greyhound Board to interact positively, proactively and transparently with the representative organisation of greyhound owners and breeders, the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation.

I have also received notice from Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to advise on the current status of the building in which Carlow paramedics and ambulance services are located in view of the fact that it was condemned as not fit for purpose and to state if a suitable alternative location will be provided as a matter of urgency.

I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the operation of the Gardasil HPV vaccination programme and whether any review is planned by the Department into its effectiveness.

I regard the matters raised by Senators Conway, Mullen, Lombard, Conway-Walsh, Ó Domhnaill and Murnane O'Connor as suitable for discussion. I have selected Senators Conway, Mullen, Lombard and Conway-Walsh and they will be taken now. Senators Ó Domhnaill and Murnane O'Connor may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise. I regret that I have had to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator Boyhan on the grounds that it is a repeat of a similar Commencement matter that was raised on 22 November 2016.